Edwaed w



(No Model.)

B. W. THOMPSON.

TAG.

Patented Jan. 8, 1884.

UNITE STATES ATENT EEicE.

EDVARD \V. THOMPSON, OF LOYVELL, MASSACHUSETTS.

TAG.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 291,813, dated January8, 1884.

Application filed September 12, 1883. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, EDWARD W. THOMP- soN, a citizen of the UnitedStates, residing at Lowell, in the county of Middlesex and Commonwealthof Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements inTags, of which the following is a specification.

My invention relates more particularly to tags used in the postalservice as direction-labels on sacks containing newspaper-mail, and isan improvement upon the patent granted me for tag for the same purpose,January 30, 1883, No. 271,378.

In the accompanying drawings, Figure 1 is anisometric view of a tag withmy improvement attached. Fig. 2 is a side View of the same, the upperpart being in section to sh ow my improvement and the best method ofattaching the same. Figs. 3 and I are modifications of my improvement,also shown in section. Figs. 2 and 3 are respectively crosssections onthe lines X X and Y Y.

A is a wooden tag, of the ordinary construction, with my improvement, ashereinafter described. In place of the wooden tag with the hole bored init, through which is passed a stout string, called bull-twine, and thattied to the puckering-string of a sack containing papers, I apply thefollow-.

ing device: In the end of the tag I form a slot, B, cut verticallytherein, the outer ends of the slot being slightly beveled. Through thearms formed by the slot B, I out another slot, (1 G, at right angles tothe slot B, said slot preferably not extending to the end of the tag,and forming an orifice through each of the said arms. From the lowerdiagonally-opposite corners of the last-named slot I cut grooves D D,terminating in holes at E E, said holes extending transversely throughthe tag.

F F are springs, made of stout wire set into the grooves, the lower endsof said springs being bent atright angles to enable them to be passedthrough the holes E E in the tag, and they are then headed over awasher, G, or directly upon the wood. The upper ends of the springs F Fare bent into overlapping spring-hooks H H, which pass through theorifices O C from either side and beyond the sides of the slot B. Thetops of the spring-hooks H H present a bevel sufficient to receive thepuckering-string I, which,

[being pressed upon them, will force them outward and apart, as shown bydotted lines in Fig. 2, and allow said cord to enter the slot B. Toremove the tag from the puckering-string, to which it is directlyattached, a loop of the string is passed over the top of thespring-hooks H H and forced into the slot B, whence it is readilywithdrawn.

in Fig. 3. Instead of two holes being made through the tag for thesprings to pass through, only one hole is bored diagonally from thebottom of the groove 011 one side of the tag to the bottom of the grooveon the other side. The wire to form the springs in a single piece isthen passed through the hole,

and the springs forced into the grooves and through the orifice O G intothe position shown in Figs. 1 and 2.

In Fig. 4 is shown another modification of my improvement, with theslotO C extending to the ends of the arms formed by theslot B. Only onespring-hook may be used and the device still be operative, although, forgreater strength and security in case of breakage or accident to asingle hook, it is preferable to use two.

my former invention, in which the springs shall be protected andsupported wherever strain is brought upon them, and so constructed thatwhen the printed direction upon the tag shall become worn off orillegible the tag may be planed down and a new direction printedthereon, and also in which, by the springs being set into grooves, saidsprings are better protected, the spring-hooks may be made shorter,greater strength secured, and the appearance of the tag improved.

I claim as my invention- The combination of a tag slotted longitudinallyand transversely, and provided with longitudinal grooves and transverseholes, and one or more spring-wires, each of said wires being bent nearone end into a hook, and near the other end bent at about right angles,and driven through one of said transverse holes and headed, as and forthe purpose specified.

EDWARD W. THOMPSON.

\Vitnesses ALBERT M. MooEE, KIRKLEY HYDE.

A modification of my improvement is shown the hooks formed on the endsof the wire,

The object of my improvement is to furnish a tag which shall be lessexpensive than

